Sequel Review: Through Chaos

Well, I had to slip in one last post before the end of the year, though this review is a month overdue. This is the third book in the Chronicles of Sarco Christian sci-fi series by Joshua A. Johnston, and I would highly recommend it. If you're looking for the first book in the series, you can find my review of Edge of Oblivion here.. 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

The Short

Through Chaos
Chronicles of Sarco, Book 3

By: Joshua A. Johnston

4.5/5 Stars

What: The crew of the Hattan find themselves facing a two front war that only they can win.

Recommended to those who like: Christian, Allegory, Sci-fi, Space Opera, Space Battles, Ensemble Casts

The Long

I always approach the end of a series with a certain amount of trepidation. Will it finish well? Or will it bust. That underlying anxiety is heightened when I get the chance to review a copy of the book for the author.

All of my fears were unfounded with regard to this series, however. Mr. Johnston did not disappoint. The allegorical elements continued to be well-executed, the sci-fi backdrop remained rich and vibrant, and I can imagine no better way to send off some of the characters I've grown to love in the series. My only complaint was that it got a little challenging to keep track of all the characters that had joined the story, especially since it had been several months since I had read the first two installments.

Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this series to fans of Christian sci-fi/space opera. You'll find that it's hard to beat.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Sequel Review: "Crown of Fire"

I'd strongly recommend reading Firebird and Fusion Fire prior to picking up this book. Check back in next week for a new series! As always, I've tried to keep this review spoiler free for both this book and the previous books. 

The Short:

Crown of Fire

Firebird Trilogy, #3

By: Kathy Tyers

4/5 Stars

What: Firebird and Brennen must face their own fears and flaws while trying to put down the most dangerous threat to the Federacy yet.

Recommended to those who like: Sci-fi/Space Opera, Christian, Space Battles

The Long:

Firebird was one of the first non-Star Wars sci-fi universes I read about that I felt that I could really fall in love with. In spite of focusing on just a couple of key characters, the universe feels spectacularly huge and rich. While this is the end of the original trilogy, it looks like there are two more books to read in the same universe, so I look forward to picking those up sometime in the future.

Regarding Crown of Fire, while it wasn’t my favorite in the trilogy, it was still a solid read. It was great to hear about the adventures of Firebird and Brennen again and to wrap up some plot points that had been introduced as early as the first book. However, I felt like there were still a couple loose ends that would have been nice to tie up. Maybe they’ll be finished off in the later two books?

One of the things I really appreciated about this trilogy was the fact that both Brennen and Firebird struggle with different character flaws throughout the trilogy, yet these flaws spring out of their own fundamental personalities. It destroys the common stereotype that Christian characters are perfect (or become perfect by the end of the first book and then no longer have any character development left).

As usual, the worldbuilding was fantastic and rich. The Christian themes of the book were a little stronger than in the earlier books, but still weren’t overwhelming.

The Bottom Line: I’d definitely recommend this series to fans of Christian science fiction who enjoy a bit of action and don’t mind some romance.                                                                                                        

Friday Fiction Fix: "Edge of Oblivion"

The Short:

Edge of Oblivion

(The Chronicles of Sarco, Book 1)

By: Joshua A. Johnson

4.5/5 Stars

What: A mysterious ship is bent on the destruction of the interstellar Confederacy. The only hope for civilization seems to be an average starship’s crew quest for archaic artifacts.

Recommended to those who like: Sci-fi/Space Opera, Christian

The Long:

Earth’s history is lost, but a new future has emerged. Spaceflight has been developed and an alliance, the Confederacy, has formed between Earth and other planets. That bright future is now at risk. A strange outside force has invaded and is now bent on the destruction of the Confederacy. All that stands in the way is an average starship crew and their unlikely quest to find religious texts that may be related to the invaders.

This book had one of the more believable sci-fi casts that I’ve read recently. Members were neither absurdly odd nor overly good at their jobs—it’s very believable that this ship is representative of the thousands of others in the Confederacy, making them relatable. Although I didn’t relate to any single one of them in particular, I found them well-developed and likeable as a whole.

The worldbuilding in this book was fantastic. Each world is given the right amount of attention to paint a suitable backdrop without overwhelming the reader. Similarly, there were enough alien species give a feeling of galactic diversity without seeming too large to explore.

I really wanted to give this book five stars, and the plot was promising at first. However, the climax was rushed and came close to becoming a deus ex machina. It fit into the plot and several of the plot seeds planted, but it didn’t depend too much on the characters or their skills. 

The Christian element was well-played and provides an interesting look at salvation and religion in an interstellar story realm. It was never overwhelming and I look forward to seeing the topic explored in more depth in the upcoming books.

The Bottom Line: Edge of Oblivion would be a good pick for sci-fi fans who are looking for a brief exploration of Christianity and a rich exploration of alien worlds.                                                                    

What is a Space Opera?

For those of you who have somehow missed the news, Star Wars Episode VII came out this weekend! In my opinion, it was a great start to a new trilogy and a good/decent movie on its own. I'm looking forward to seeing the next movies.

This post isn't about The Force Awakens, but rather the subgenre to which it belongs: the space opera.

From here.

The space opera is a subgenre of science fiction and focuses on space battles and drama, typically involves romance, and has a limited focus on technology. Earth and the known universe may or may not be involved, but the story likely centers around a larger than life character trying to save the galaxy, universe, or planet. Another example of a space opera would be Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, though it leans a little closer to traditional sci-fi in some ways. 

The genre can be separated from "hard sci-fi" which has a much stronger focus on plausible technology and what the future might be like. These stories often center on Earth and/or the known universe. The characters in hard sci-fi are unlikely to be attempting to save the galaxy or to be larger than life. 

For those more familiar with fantasy, think of the difference between the two as epic fantasy vs. urban fantasy for a good comparison. Personally, I prefer epic fantasy and space operas. 

Which do you prefer? Have you seen Star Wars yet (no spoilers please)?

Merry Christmas! I'll see you next Tuesday with a book review.

Friday Fiction Fix: "Firebird"

Thanks for bearing with me while I took some time to let my brain to recuperate from three exams in thirteen hours. Also, please vote in the poll in the right side bar! I'd really appreciate your feedback. 

The Short:

Firebird

Book 1 of the Firebird Trilogy

By: Kathy Tyers

4.5/5 Stars

What: She was supposed to die, but what if there’s something better than dying for a corrupt planet?

Recommended to those who like: Science fiction, Christian, space battles, some romance.

The Long:

Today we finally get something outside of my recent fantasy streak!

When I started the blog, I told myself I wouldn’t do “half” stars. But I really couldn’t decide between 4 and 5 stars on this book. The action, world-building, and characters suck you right in, but the beginning is a bit awkward and cumbersome, for lack of a suitable word. So, four and a half. (Also, the cover on this! This is some beautiful artwork.)

Lady Firebird is the third daughter in the royal family of Netaia, making her best option an honorable death in battle and, in lieu of that, a quick suicide of her own choosing.

But when suicide fails in the middle of battle and she’s taken prisoner, her whole world is turned upside down. Could there be something better than dying for a royal family that's been corrupted? 

I really enjoyed the story and it kept surprising me at every turn. There’s telekinesis, romance, some great flying scenes, and a fair amount of political intrigue involved in the story. The Christian allegorical theme is strong, but well done and not overwhelming.

I look forward to reading the next book! Currently, Firebird is available for free on Amazon Kindle, if you’d like to give it a try.

What are your thoughts?

Friday Fiction Fix: "The Word Reclaimed"

The Short:

The Word Reclaimed

(The Face of the Deep, Book 1)

By: Steve Rzasa

4/5 Stars

What: Amid a space wreck, the last known copy of a Bible is discovered.

Recommended to those who like: Futuristic, dystopian, space battles, Christian, Sci-fi.

Not recommended for those who dislike: Long books that take a while to get going.

The Long:

The Word Reclaimed made for a good read, albeit a long one that dragged a little at points. In it we follow Baden, a young man who is part of the crew of the Natalia Zoja. He discovers a Bible amidst a space wreck, but he and the crew are pursued relentlessly by Kesek, the enforcement agency tasked with eliminating any religions that make claims to exclusivity. When a mysterious man saves him from Kesek and claims to be a follower of the Word, can he be trusted?

Meanwhile, court politics are in an uproar as the King seems to be losing power rapidly to Kesek. Can a dedicated group of loyalists manage to save the kingdom?

The plot is multilayered and deep, which makes for a realistic, exciting read. However, it took me until about halfway through the book to become really invested in the characters and get to know them well. Bear with the first half, though, because the second half is action-packed and everything falls into place. The story ended in a cliff-hanger and I look forward to reading book two in the near future.

If you’ve read the book, feel free to share your thoughts below. Please remember to be respectful of Mr. Rzasa and his work, as well as other commentators. I also welcome comments on what you would like to see included in the reviews. I reserve the right to remove vulgar, hateful, or rude remarks from the comments. Thanks for sharing!

Friday Fiction Fix: Talon's Test and the Shield of Faith

The Short:

Talon’s Test and the Shield of Faith

(The Talon Trilogy—Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Series Book 1)

Written By:

Nicholas J. Downing

4/5 Stars

What: Space centurion takes on hordes of space pirates while rescuing his true love and maintaining his faith.

Recommended to those who like: characters with an interesting backstory, science fiction, sword fights, space battles, a cool sci-fi world, strong Christian message, and a bit of love story.

Avoid if you don’t like: Lots of back story being dumped in the middle, or slow spots in the plot.

The Long:

                I’ll admit, this was a bit of an impulse buy for me. Space opera? Christian space opera? I mean, I might as well give it a try for $4…

                It was definitely worth the money.

                Talon’s Test is something we rarely see in Christian fiction.

                Although the love theme is strong, it didn’t dominate the entire plot. We still had things blowing up, sword fights, good back story. And it happened in space. When is the last time you can think of a Christian science fiction novel that took place in space? Other than C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy…

                Knight Centurion Talon Vance spends his days conquering space pirates preying on the Star Kingdom of Manna, a Christian nation in the future. He is appointed to Princess Naomi’s personal guard—a high honor, but one complicated by his love for her. A sinister plot by the rival NATAS, an atheistic kingdom, launches him and his princess on an adventure that involves assassination attempts, crash landings, sword fights, space battles, contact with alien species, and the spread of the gospel.

                Sounds awesome, right? And it is really good.

                Just a few warnings to the reader: it’s long. And backstory jumps in at odd times—like right in the middle of an epic space battle. On the upside, the world building is very good. Also, be warned that this book has a strong Christian message. Good? Definitely. But be prepared to sit through a few sermons--literally.

                So, if you’re looking for some great plot and don’t mind that plot slowing down at times, this is a great book for you. I challenge you to find another book in the same specific genre.

                I look forward to reading more works from Mr. Downing. Judging from this book, he has some awesome stories to share that break free from the mainstream subject matter of Christian publishing.

                If you’ve read the book, feel free to share your thoughts/opinions below. Please remember to be respectful of Mr. Downing and his work, as well as other commentators. I also welcome comments on what you would like to see included in the review format. I reserve the right to remove vulgar, hateful, or rude remarks from the comments. Thanks for sharing!